8.03.2009

I received Tour de Force several weeks ago in return for participating in this blog tour. I had several books "in line" ahead of it, but was especially looking forward to reading this one. Just after I started reading it, I came down with a bug...an icky cough, fever, ache-all-over bug. It was the perfect "sick read"...a great story you don't want to put down, but not deep or heavy. But don't wait until you get sick to read this one!

From the media release...

"Gillian Kincade is a soloist with Ballet New York, a sought-after guest artist, and a committed Christian. Though she may be an anomaly in the world of dance, Gilly believes her devotion to God isn’t compromised by following her dreams. Then she meets Jacob Ferrar.

"Jacob is the brilliant young artistic director of the Birmingham Ballet Theatre and a born-again Christian. When he offers Gillian the lead in his latest ballet she accepts, knowing it won’t necessarily further her career, but it will touch her soul.

"On the chaotic road to opening night, Gilly and Jacob develop a deep professional respect for each other and begin to fall in love. Then their brilliant first performance is destroyed by a terrible accident, and suddenly both must face an uncertain future. Together, they dance the fine line between personal vision and God’s will, listening for the guidance of the Father’s heart. "

Gilly and Jacob were two of my favorite characters in a while. Jacob's little nephew, Graham, also wound his way into my heart. I really appreciated the character development in all the characters...the "good guys" weren't all good, and the "bad guys" weren't all bad...they were "real" people, with strengths and weaknesses, some flawed more than others.

Another aspect of this book that intrigued me was the "Christians and the Arts" theme. Elizabeth says in the Author's Note, "I wanted to explore the fact that Christian artists in any field--music, dance, literature, art--often face tough decisions about how and where art infuses Christian lifestyle...The only way I knew how to tackle the subject was to create characters who must face those questions, take a stand, and either live for God--or not."

She tackled it well...as well as creating characters who struggle with other very real and difficult issues...all while crafting a story that comes across as entertaining rather than heavy.

Tour de Force is available from Amazon. Visit Elizabeth White's website here, or find other blog tour participants here.